ABSTRACT

Globalization, digital technologies, societal and environmental concerns influence the way family firms operate locally and internationally. Family firms are often torn between their local and global environments, simultaneously visible and embedded in their local environment while marketing their products and services abroad. Unlike large multinationals that have often lost their roots, family firms manifest an active interest in maintaining their local roots and traditions. Moreover, increasing concerns with sustainable development call for continuity through sustainability aimed at improving local and global socioeconomic conditions. This editorial of the special issue on ‘Locality and Internationalization of Family Firms’ discusses this tension that family firms face and how they can build bridges between communities increasingly drifting apart. By bridging local and global environments, family firms can contribute to the sustainable development of society. We present a research agenda addressing this particular bridging function of family firms and propose several avenues for future research.

摘要

全球化、数字技术、社会和环境问题影响着家族企业在本地和国际的运营方式。家族企业经常在本地环境和全球环境之间左右为难，在将其产品和服务营销到国外的同时，又在本地环境中可见并嵌入其中。与经常失去根基的大型跨国公司不同，家族企业表现出对保持本土根基和传统的积极兴趣。此外，对可持续发展的日益关注要求通过旨在改善当地和全球社会经济条件的可持续性来实现连续性。这篇关于“家族企业的本地化和国际化”特刊的社论讨论了家族企业面临的这种紧张局势，以及它们如何在日益疏远的社区之间建立桥梁。通过连接本地和全球环境，家族企业可以为社会的可持续发展做出贡献。我们提出了一项研究议程，以解决家族企业的这一特殊桥梁功能，并为未来的研究提出了几种途径。